Bijoux for Restaurant Week

Ah, Bijoux.  Why is it that I don’t visit this place more often?  The food is unbelievable.  The service is flawless.  I am totally in love with Bijoux.

I am impressed with the way so many people are involved with your service at Bijoux.  Two men bring the amuse, another woman serves the wine and someone else takes your order.  Every dish is carefully explained.  I can’t imagine ever actually wanting anything that didn’t immediately appear.  The place is full of mind readers.  After we ordered, we were presented with an amuse bouche of cucumber, watermelon and micro-greens drizzled with vinaigrette.  Darling and tasty.  Possibly the smallest salad I’ve ever eaten.  Cute food is so fun.

I wanted to try all the first course options.  Everything sounded marvelous.  White corn and coconut soup… melon carpaccio with crab…  I finally decided that after having tried the pork belly the last time we visited, I couldn’t pass it up this time.  It did not disappoint.  The meat was savory and tender, with a crispy exterior.  Even the fat was impossible to ignore.  The fat had a texture almost like bone marrow and flavor was clean and rich.  I couldn’t resist spreading some on my rosemary bread.  The pork was served over baby bok choy and carrots with an Asian jus.  A tasting of 2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Eroica” Reisling complimented the meat perfectly.  This was Hubbard’s favorite course. 

Next came the Central Market fourth course coupon option, smoked prawn with heirloom tomatoe and watercress salad with a chorizo vinaigrette.  It was paired with a 2006 WillaKenzie Pinot Noir.  Wonderful.  Who would have thought that the flavors of chorizo and prawn would marry so well?  A touch of smokiness and the acid from the vinaigrette made this a memorable course.  Free always factors in nicely, as well.

I chose the Scottish salmon over polenta with asparagus and mushrooms.  The wine was a 2006 Steele Pinot Noir.  Hubbard chose the N.Y. strip steak with pomme puree, root vegetables and Tellicherry pepper sauce paired with 2005 Estancia Cabernet Savignon.  Hubbard made the better decision.  The salmon was not bad.  But, it wasn’t as delicate as I was hoping.  The steak was served cut into strips on a pile of whipped potatoes.  The peppery sauce was terrific and after having tried Hub’s I was pretty jealous.  We got to sample the truffled risotto and I couldn’t believe that I was actually thinking that I should have ordered rice for my main course.  I usually always prefer meat.  The texture was perfectly creamy and moist.  The addition of the shaved truffles just threw it over the top. 

A little palate cleanser arrived.  Granny Smith apple sorbet served atop crushed pecans.  A perfectly refreshing little bite of bright flavor.  Very tasty.  Then came my favorite part of the meal, the cheese course.  Hubbard had dessert instead.  Almond panna cotta with poached peaches and toasted almond ice cream.  This was served with a Taylor 10 year tawny port.  I think he liked the port more than the dessert since he was eyeing a bottle in the liquor store yesterday.  The panna cotta was perfectly executed, creamy with a subtle almond flavor.  The cheese course was a slice of Maytag blue cheese with celery confit, carrot custard and a paper-thin slice of fried pancetta.  A little bit of all of it on your fork made a stunning combination.  The saltiness of the pork with that blue cheese tang and a tad of sweetness from the carrot…  perfection.  Follow it up with a taste of 2006 Yalumba Botrytis Viognier and try not to sob.  It was that good.

A tray of sweets accompanied our coffee and the check.  We walked out into the night and agreed that no matter what they say, a restaurant really can live up to your highest expectations.  Bijoux is absolutely heavenly.